Plate-clamping mechanism for rotary printing-presses.



W. EVENSEN. PLATE GLAMPING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRBS SES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.14,1908.

' Patented D 'c. 1, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. EVENSBN.

PLATE CLAMPING MEGHANISM FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.14,1908.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

4 SHEETSSHEET Z.

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W. EVENSEN. PLATE GLAMPING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR.14,1908.

905,162. Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

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w. EVENSEN. PLATE OLAMPING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED MABHM, 1908.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

UNITED STAT F S PATENT ornIcE...

WILLIAM EVEN SEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOSS PRINTING PRESS COM- PANY OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PLATE-OLAMPING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY PRINTING-PRESSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

Application filed March 14, 1908. Serial No. 421,084..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM EVENSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plate-Clamping Mechanism for Rotary Printing-Presses, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to plate clamping mechanism for rotary printing presses, and its object is to provide clamping mechanism for holding plates upon the plate cylinder which can be operated quickly and easily, which is positive in its action, and cannot become loose after it is once tightened, and will yet have a grip upon the plates sufiiciently yielding to insure the holding of the plate at several points; and also to provide new and improved mechanism by which the clamps may be independently adjusted and by which, when adjusted, they may be simultaneously moved to clamp the plate in place.

As is well known, stereotyped plates, while formed upon their edges which are engaged with the clamps with general accuracy, nevertheless are likely to vary somewhat from a perfectly straight edge.- If, therefore, the clamps are so constructed as to be simultaneously moved to lock the plate in place, it is very likely that these irregularities in the edge of the plate which is engaged by the clamps will cause some of the clamps to either not engage the plate at all or to improperly engage it, leaving the plate clamped by an insufficient number of clamps. On the other hand, if the clamping is done by separately adjusting each clamp upon the plate, this requires time, which, as is well known, is of great value when a newspaper is going to press. Several devices have been tried to obviate these difliculties, all of which are objectionable for one reason or another. For example, one mechanism used has been to provide a hollow shaft for the plate cylinder and to connect the plate clamps by means of levers with a bar running through the hollow shaft, and by the movement of the bar to move the plate clamps simultaneously upon one plate. An-

other device that has been used was to provide each of the screws by which the plate clamps were moved with a coarse pitched thread, and to gear all the clamps together whereby, by operating any one of the gears by suitable means, the clamps might be simultaneously moved. These devices have proved objectionable because they would not at the same time be powerful enough to hold the plate and flexible enough to adjust themselves to irregularities in the plate edges, and because they could not be satisfactorily constructed for use upon a cylinder of three or more pages in width and for plate forms which might be of varying length,for example, seven or eight columns in width when the column rules were circumferential of the plate cylinder.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide mechanism by means of which these difficulties may be obviated, and clamp ing mechanism constructed in which the several clamps may be separately adjustable to diflerent widths of plates and may be also, when generally adjusted to the form width, simultaneously move to lock the plates upon the plate cylinder positively and firmly and with sufficient yielding to insure that every clamp will engage the edge of the plate.

It is the further object of my invention to improve plate holding mechanism in sundry respects hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings :-F igure 1 is a view of the plate cylinder partly in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail, being a section through a portion of the end of the cylinder (broken away), and showing the plate clamp and the screw for separately adjusting it. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, being an isometric view of one of the plate clamps. Fig. 4L is an enlarged detail, being a view of one end of the plate cylin= der. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail, being'a section of one portion of the cylinder to show the arm and eccentric by which the longitudinally movable member of the cyl inder is moved. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail, being a view of a portion of one end of the plate cylinder with a part of the cover plate broken away. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail, being a section on line 77 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of one endof the cylinder (broken away), partially in longitudinal section on line 8 8 of Fig. l.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail, being an isowhich the eccentric-pin is held in place. Fig. 11 is a modification, being an end View ofpart of the cylinder. Fig. 12 is also a modification, being a plan view of part of one end of the cylinder, partially broken away. Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail, being a section on line 13-13 of Fig. 11. Fig. 14 is an enlarged detail, being a section on line 14-14 of Fig. 11. Fig. 15 is an enlarged detail, being a section on line 15-15 of Fig. 11.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings, 1n which corresponding parts are indicated by like reference characters :-11 indicates a plate cylinder which is formed of a central member 12 and at each end thereof of two movable members 13-14. The central fixed member 12 is provided with hubs 15 which are connected with the cylinder 011 its interior surface by ribs or spokes 16 and are keyed or otherwise suitably secured to a shaft 17. The hubs and the ribs or spokes 17 are preferably cast integral with the fixed member 12 of the plate cylinder. The movable members 13-14, as is best shown in Fig. 9, are semiannular in shape, meeting at their diametric edges, and, when so put together in place, their surface forms a continuation of the surface of the fixed member 12. The members 13-14 are slidingly mounted upon the hubs 15 so as to move a suitable distance towards and away from the fixed member 12 and longitudinally of the cylinder.

18 indicates eccentric-pins circular in section and journaled in suitable openings in the movable members 13-14 near their outer ends and preferably intermediate between the edges of the movable members, as is best shown in Fig. 9. Each of the eccentric-pins 18 is provided with a squared opening 19 in its outer end, shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 5, to admit the insertion of a suitable winch for turning the eccentric-pins.

Upon their inner ends, the eccentric-pins 18 are provided with studs 20 eccentrically mounted thereon.

21 indicates links which are carried in suitable recesses 22, best shown in Fig. 5, in the hubs 15. The outer end of each link 21 is journaled upon the eccentric stud 20 of one of said eccentric-pins 18, and its inner end is journaled upon a pin 23 whose inner end is screwed into the hub 15, as is best shown in Fig. 1. Each eccentric-pin 18 is provided with a semi-circular peripheral groove 24, and is held in position in movable member 13-14 by a key 25 circular in section, which keys are driven into the movable members 13-14 through suitable openings which register with the grooves 24, as is best shown in Fig. 10.

i As is best shown in Fig. 7, the surface ofeach' of the eccentric-pins 18 is provided with a series of rounded openings 26 annularly disposed.

27 indicates pins spring-seated against ex pansion springs 28 in suitable openings in the movable members 13-14 in register with the rounded notches 26. The tension of the springs 28 which tends to force the pins 27 against the eccentric-pins is such as to cause their engagement with the depressions 26 sufficiently strong to hold the eccentric-pins against rotation by a manual rotation but weak enough to yield and permit the eccentrio-pins to be turned when power is "applied by a winch or other suitable mechanism.

In the construction shown, the movable members 13-14 are shown in their innermost positions against the fixed member 12 of the plate cylinder. It will be obvious from the above description that, by rotating the eccentric-pins 18, the movable members 13-14 may be each independently moved away from the fixed member 12 of the plate cylinder longitudinally of said plate cylinder, and, when in their outer positions, they may be moved back again against such fixed member by the rotation of said eccentricpins.

The movable members 13-14 are held in position so as to rotate with the cylinder by pins 29 whose inner ends are screwed into the spokes 16 of the fixed member 12, as is best shown in Fig. 8. The screws are preferably provided with heads 30 which are countersunk in suitable openings 31 in the movable members 13-14 sufficiently deep to permit longitudinal movement of the movable members 13-14, as above described.

32 indicates semi-annular plates which are screwed or otherwise suitably secured upon the outer ends of the movable members 13-14, and 33 indicates semi-annular plates which are carried upon the movable members 13-14 near their inner ends, the said movable members being suitably rabbeted out, as is best shown in Fig. 1, to receive the plates 33.

34 indicates screws, which, as is best shown in Fig. 2, are carried by the movable members 13-14, their inner ends being journaled in the plates 33 and their outer ends journaled in the plates 32. These screws are preferably four in number upon each movable member 13-14, and carry the clamps hereinafter described. Each of the screws 34 is provided with a peripheral shoulder 35 near one end located upon the screw a short distance inside the inner surface of the plate 32 in which said screw is journaled.

36 indicates a spiral spring which surrounds the shaft of the screw 34 between the shoulder 35 and the inner surface of the 'Within its journal in the plate 32, the surface of the screw 34 is provided with a plurality of rounded depressions 37, as is shown in Fig. 2, annularly disposed.

38 indicates a pin spring-seated upon a compression spring 39 within a suitable opening in the plate 32 and registering with the depressions 37. Thedepressions 37 are made larger longitudinally of the screw 34 than the end of the pin 38 to permit the longitudinal play of the screw 34 as hereinafter described, and the tension of the springs 39 is sufficiently strong to hold the pins 38 in engagement with said depressions to prevent accidental or manual turning of the screws 34, but sufiiciently yieldingly to permit the screws 34 to be turned by a wrench or other suitable means.

40 indicates clamps which, by means of suitable screw-threaded openings 41, are mounted upon the screws The clamps slide in suitable slots 42 in the surface of the movable members 13-14 so as to move inwards and outwards longitudinally of the plate cylinder. The sides of the clamps 40 are provided with grooves 43 which engage the edges of the slots 42, as is best shown in Fig. 6.

44 indicates a projection on the clamp 40 which projects above the surface of the cylinder and whose inner edges, as is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is beveled to engage the beveled edge of the stereotyped plates. These clamps, as is best shown in Fig. 9, are four in number upon each movable member 1314, making 8 upon the surface of the cylinder at each end, four of which will engage one plate and four another, as hereinafter described. By the turning of the screws 34, the clamps 40 may be moved in and out longitudinally of the plate cylinder to adapt the cylinder for plates of varying widths in the manner hereinafter described.

45 indicates plate stops of the usual character and description mounted upon the fixed member 12 of the plate cylinder and adapted to engage the front and rear edges of the plates.

46 indicates a stop ring of the usual form and description mounted upon the fixed member 12 of the plate cylinder and adapted to engage and hold the inner edges of the stereotyped plates.

47 indicates movable stops of the usual form and description mounted in the usual manner in slots 48 upon the fixed member 12 of the plate cylinder and adapted to engage the adjacent edges of the plates when the cylinder is constructed to carry four plates abreast.

49 50 indicate stereotyped plates upon the cylinder. The plates are mounted upon the cylinder as follows :The plate cylinder being moved into proper position and the movable members being moved outward away from the fixed member, the plate 50 is placed upon the cylinder with its forward and rear edges upon the longitudinal stops 45, and it is slid up against the stop ring 46. The stops 47 are then moved against the outer edge of the plate 50. The plate 49 is then placed upon the cylinder in the same manner, and, the several clamps 40 having been adjusted as hereinafter described suitably in position, by the turning of the appropriate eccentric-pin 18 the movable member 13 or 14 as the case may be is moved bodily inwards forcing the clamps 40 against the outer edge of the plate, locking the plates 49 and 50 in position upon one semieircumferenee of the plate cylinder. In case there are any slight irregularities in the outer edge of the plate, these will be taken up by the slight yielding of the springs 36 causing all of the clamps to engage the plate, the springs 36 being of suitable strength to cause a firm engagement. It will of course be unoer stood that the plates are applied on the other semi-ci1cumference and at the other end of the plate cylinder in the same manner.

In case it is desired to use plates of a different width, the clamps 40 are separately operated for that purpose. For instance, in the drawings in Fig. 1, l have shown plates of eight column width. In case it is desired to exchange these plates for plates of seven column width, by the turning of the screws 34 the clamps 40 may be moved a suitable distance inward to adjust them to the new width required in such way that when new plates are put on the movement of the movable members of the cylinder will be sufficient to lockthem firmly in place as above described. The movable members 1314 will be of sufficient depth and the slots which carry the clamps and the screws which move the clamps of sufiicient length to permit such change of position in the clamps as may be desired in the designing of the press for different widths of plates.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Figs. 11 to 15, inclusive, generally speaking the difference between the structure shown in said modifications and that already described consists in the fact that the movable members are narrower and do not extend underneath the plate when the plate is placed in position on the cylinder and are therefore not parts of the plate-simporting portion of the cylinder itself; the plate clamps also are carried in grooves in the cylinder proper, and a modified form of device for longitudinally moving the movable mem hers is supplied.

Referring to Figs. 11 to 15, 11 indicates the plate cylinder proper provided with a hub 51 and mounted upon the shaft 17. The surface of the cylinder 11 is provided with a plurality of slots 52, preferably four upon each semi-circumference and located at the ends of the cylinder. 53 indicates plate clamps of the same general form as those above described which are slidingly mounted in the slots 52 on the surface of the cylinder 11. tick-55 indicate movable members which are in the form each of a sen'ii-annular ring and are slidingly mounted upon the hub 51. of the plate cylinder 11 at the outer ends of said cylinder. Only one of these semi-annular rings 5t55 is shown in fall, a portion being shown in Fig. 11, but, as they are exactly alike, it is thought that the illustrating and description of one will be sutlicient. These movable members in the form of semiannular rings, as has been stated, come together on their diametric edges, as is shown. in Fig. 11. 5t indicates semi-annular plates which are screwed upon the movable members si sa 57 indicates screws each of which is provided with a shoulder 58 preferably integral therewith and with a. squared head 59 which extends beyond the plates 56. The screws 57 are carried by the movable members 5l-55, the shoulders 58 being seated in suitable recesses ('30 near the periphery of the movable members 54t55. 61 indicates a compression spring seated in the opening between the shoulder 58 and the inner surface of the plate 56. The screws 57 pass through suitable screw-threaded openings in the clamps 58 and are provided with smaller portions 57 which move in suitable openings in the cylinder 11 below its surface to allow for the longitudinal movement of the movable members 54-55 above described. The movable members are held in position so as to rotate with the cylinder by pins 62 which are seated in suitable supports in the cylinder 11, as best shown in Fig. 15, and whose projecting ends enter suitable openings in the movable members iermitting them to slide on said pins 62 longitudinally of the cylinder. ($3 indicates an eccentricpin which is journaled in a suitable opening in each of the movable members 5 l-55 midway between its ends and extends radially of the cylinder. Each of the pins 63 is provided at its outer end with a squared recess 64 adapted to be engaged by a suitable wrench -or winch for turning it, and at its inner end with an eccentric-stud 65. 66 indicates a block which is mounted in a rectangular opening 67 in the hub 51. The block 66 is of the same width longitudinally of the cylinder as the opening (37, but cireumferentially of the cylinder is shorter than the opening 67 so as to permit play of the block 66 in that direction when the eccentric-pin 63 is turned. The eccentric stud on the pin 63 is journaled in said block 66 centrally thereof. It will be obvious from the above description that when one of the eccentric-pins 63 is turned in one direction or the other, one of the movable members 54l55 will be moved bodily a short distance longitudinally of the cylinder towards or away from the body of the cylinder, carrying with it the pins ('37 and moving with them the plate clamps 53. From the above description and from the description of the operation of the other form of my invention, the operation of the modified form will be readily understood. The clamps are separately adjusted to the desired width of the plates to be used. \Vhenthe plates are placed upon the cylinder in the manner described above, the turning of the eccentric-pin 63 in the proper direction will move the movable member 5a or 55, as the case may be, inwards towards the cylinder, causing the plate clamps to en gage and lock the plates in position, the springs 61 in the same manner as above described yielding to permit the proper engagement and clamping and to permit each plate clamp to lock upon the edge of the plate.

I have shown and described my invention as applied to the plate cylinder of double width,that is to say, four plates wide and carrying eight plates, four upon each semicircumference. It will of course be readily understood that I do not confine my invention to the plate cylinder of this size and length, as it will be obvious that my invention may be applied to plate cylinders of other widths without the making of any other than such changes as would be obvious to any mechanic skilled in the printing press art.

It will be of course understood that as the plate clamps are separately adjustable to the dilferent widths of the cylinder in either form of my device and the locking of the plates upon the cylinder is performed by the movement of the movable members simultaneously moving all the clamps which engage each integral stereotyped plate, the movement of the movable members to he allowed for will be only sufficient to permit the beveledged plates to be cleared for removing them and for locking them in position.

I have described my invention as applied to the ordinary form of plate cylinder which is of a circumference equal to the circumferential length of two plates, and therefore have shown and described the movable memhers as being two in number at each end of the cylinder, each occupying one-half of the end of the cylinder, and this is the form in which I prefer to construct it, as that is the usual form of plate cylinder in use. The number of movable members at each. end of the cylinder will, however, of course depend upon the number of separate plates circumferentially of the cylinder which the cylinder may carry, as the plates of course are placed upon the cylinder and locked in position one series circumferentially of the cylinder at a time. If then the cylinder should be so constructed as to hold more than two series of plates, one upon each semicircumference, it will be obvious that the movable members will be modified accordingly.

lVhile I have shown and described herein a plate holding member in the form of a plate cylinder, a plate clamp slidingly mounted on said plate holding member, a support, and a screw springseated and rotatably mounted in said support and having its screw-threaded portion in constant engagement with said plate clamp, I do not broadly claim the same herein, as that invention is the invention of another,Samuel G. Gross,- who has made application for Letters Patent covering the same.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination of a plate cylinder, plate clamps adapted to engage the edge of a plate and movable longitudinally of said cylinder, a member movable relatively to the plate and longitudinally of the said cylinder, clamp-operating mechanism carried by said movable member and adapted to engage said clamps and separately adjust the same on said cylinder, and means for moving said movable member longitudinally of said cylinder.

2. In combination, a plate cylinder, a plurality of plate clamps adapted to engage the edge of a plate and separately movable longitudinally of said cylinder, a movable member movable relatively to the plate and longitudinally of said cylinder, a plurality of clamp-operating devices carried by said movable member and adapted to engage said clamps and to severally adjust the same upon .aid cylinder, and mechanism for moving said movable member with said plate clampoperating mechanisms longitudinally of said cylinder.

3. In combination, a plate cylinder, a plurality of plate clamps adapted to engage the edge of a plate and movable longitudinally of said cylinder, a movable member movable relatively to the plate and longitudinally of said cylinder, a plurality of screws carried by said movable member and adapted each to engage one of said plate clamps and adjust the same upon said cylinder, and means for moving said movable member longitudinally of. said cylinder.

4. In combination, a plate cylinder, a plurality of plate clamps adapted to engage the edge of a plate and movable longitudinally of said cylinder, a movable member movable longitudinally of said cylinder, a plurality of spring-seated screws carried by said movable member and adapted each to engage one of said plate clamps and adjust the same upon said cylinder, and means for moving said movable member longitudinally of said,

cylinder.

5. The combination with a plate cylinder composed of a fixed member and a movable member movable relatively to'the plate and longitudinally with reference to said fixed member, of a plurality of separately adjustable plate clamps mounted in said movable member, means for separately adjusting said plate clamps longitudinally of said plate cylinder, and means for moving said movable member longitudinally of said plate cylinder.

6. The combination with a plate cylinder consisting of a fixed member and a longitudinally movable member, of a plurality of spring-seated screws carried by said movable member, plate clamps carried by said spring-seated screws and movable longitudinally of said plate cylinder, and means for moving said movable member of said plate cylinder longitudinally thereof.

7. The combination With a plate cylinder consisting of a central member and end members movable longitudinally with reference thereto, of a plurality of independently adjustable plate clamps on said movable mem bers of the plate cylinder, means for separately adjusting the same, and means for moving said movable members of the plate cylinder longitudinally thereof.

8. The combination with a plate cylinder composed of a central member and end members longitudinally movable with reference to said central member, of a plurality of independently adjustable spring-seated plate clamps carried by said movable members, means for separately adjusting said plate clamps longitudinally of said plate cylinder, and means for moving said end members longitudinally of said plate cylinder.

9. The combination with a plate cylinder composed of a central member and end members at each end thereof longitudinally movable with reference to said central member, of a plurality of independently adjustable spring-seated plate clamps carried by said movable members, means for separately adjusting said plate clamps longitudinally of said plate cylinder, means for moving said end members longitudinally of said plate cylinder, and means for locking said movable members in position.

10. The combination with a plate cylinder consisting of a central fixed member and end members at each end thereof movable longitudinally of said plate cylinder, and plate stops carried by said fixed member, of a plurality of separately adjustable spring-seated plate clamping devices carried by said movable members and adapted to engage the outer edge of a plate, means for separately adjusting the same longitudinally of said plate cylinder, and means for moving said movable members longitudinally of said plate cylinder and locking them in position thereon.

11. The combination With a plate cylinder means for moving. said movable men'lbers' consisting of a central fixed member and end longitudinally of the plate cylinder to lock 10 members movable longitudinally of said the plates in position thereon. plate cylinder, and clamping mechanism car- I j n T '1 P Y ried by said fixed member, of a plurality of VILLI'AM hvhi spring-seated screws carried by said movable Witnesses: members, clamps movable longitudinally of J. J. lVALsnn, J r., said cylinder and carried by said screws, and LILLIAN M. CAGNEY. 

